


Soft Soldat

by fannyvonfabulus



Series: Word Vomit [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes says fuck your toxic masculinity, Bucky is a snuggler, M/M, Soft Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:40:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23428627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fannyvonfabulus/pseuds/fannyvonfabulus
Summary: Bucky Barnes is soft, has always been soft.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & James "Bucky" Barnes, James "Bucky" Barnes & Clint Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes & Hulk, James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Thor, James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Word Vomit [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1521398
Comments: 21
Kudos: 110





	Soft Soldat

**Author's Note:**

> I just really love soft Bucky, OK?
> 
> I found the image a few years back and it's honestly probably my fave Bucky fanart. I'm not sure of the artist as all image searches have brought back literally hundreds of results, and i don't know which one is the orginal :( So please, if anyone knows then tell me so i can properly credit.

Not many people know that James Buchanan Barnes is soft.

And not only is he soft, he’s incredibly tactile and affectionate. Any chance he gets for casual touches, hugs or the chance to snuggle, he takes it. 

Who would have thought that the Winter Soldier is basically a lap cat?

Some think it could be because he has spent the last 70 years being a weapon, and now that he’s free of HYDRA, he’s free to be as soft as he likes. 70 years of being a killing machine could not be more opposite of who Bucky truly is and always has been. HYDRA may have robbed him of himself for 7 decades, but he’s making up for it now in spades.

But Bucky has always been soft, even when he and Steve were growing up, Bucky was always sweet and affectionate, it’s just who he is. And now he’s finally free of Hydra’s clutches and Shuri has given him his mind back, he’s even softer than before. Sure, he still goes out into the field with the Avengers and kicks ass when he has to, but there is no trace of the Winter Soldier left anywhere, except for maybe his nightmares. Even his clothes are soft, from the worn cotton of his Henleys to the butterlike leather of his jackets. His long hair is always silky and his smile warm and soft. He also has a penchant for the softest, fleeciest throws and cushions that he can get his hands on, so of course Tony has filled the common areas of the Tower with as many as possible. 

With Tony, Bucky is a cuddler. The genius is touch starved and loves nothing more than to snuggle with whomever happens to be closest. Bucky loves to snuggle, and Tony is the perfect size and shape to wrap around on the couch, face tucked into Bucky’s neck. He remembers being delighted when he discovered that Tony wasn’t shy about crawling into Bucky’s lap one evening after an almost three day stretch in the workshop. So now Bucky will snuggle with Tony whenever he wants to, running fingers through the birdsnest he calls hair as Tony drifts off to sleep wrapped in Bucky’s limbs.

With Natasha, it’s more of a sibling thing. She’ll braid his hair whilst they watch a movie with the others, fingernails scratching affectionately at his scalp here and there. If she’s had nightmares, he’ll burrow under her sheets with her and hold her close whilst something mindless plays on the TV at the end of her bed. He’ll pet her hair and whisper endearments to her in Russian. The bond they have together is different from the bonds they have with the others due to them both having been victims of the Red Room. They can talk without speaking, know the other’s moves without thinking. Watching them both cook together in the communal kitchen is like poetry in motion. And Bucky would rather bake with Nat these days than spar.

Clint is….well Clint is so similar to Bucky it’s uncanny. They laugh together, joke together and they cry together. They nap together more often than they care to admit, both seemingly able to conk out wherever they happen to be. On the Quinjet to and from missions that take hours, they can be found curled around each other, deep in sleep. Clint has never been shy about who he is so sees absolutely nothing wrong with walking down the street holding Bucky’s hand. And Bucky has always loved to show his friends how much he cares about them so never thinks twice about leaving his hand in Clint’s whenever the archer laces their fingers together. And if Steve found them both one day passed out in one of Clint’s cushion nests in the air vents then he’s never said anything.

Thor has no concept of personal space and will sprawl out across people’s feet in the common room, or drape his considerable bulk across everyone’s laps whenever possible. The God is generous with his touches: a hand on a shoulder here, a brush of fingers against an arm there. It's his way of showing he cares and Bucky eats it up. And Thor is a hugger too, much to Bucky’s delight. If he was a meme then Thor would be the Free Hugs guy, and Bucky is always the first in line when he’s dishing them out.

With Bruce, Bucky is happy to just….be. He knows that the scientist is quiet and there are some days when he actively seeks that out. They can often be found sitting together on the huge loveseat in the communal lounge, backs against opposite arms of the seat but legs entwined as they both quietly read their books. Sometimes Bruce will put his book down and put his head in Bucky’s lap, silently asking for fingers in his mess of curls. In those moments, Bucky will slip Bruce’s glasses from his nose and card his metal fingers through soft brunet waves until Bruce has slipped into sleep. He’ll keep going until Bruce wakes and goes to make tea for them both.

Hulk is a snuggler too. Bucky gets to be the little spoon.

With Steve he’s the softest. Steve gets to watch Bucky when he’s asleep, sheets pooled around his body as the early morning sun maps out his sweetheart’s freckle covered muscles. His mouth will be slack in sleep, nose scrunching up as he snuffles into the pillow. Steve will prop himself up on an elbow and watch his sleeping husband, a small smile on his lips as he brushes brunet hair from the sleeping face. Steve loves him the most like this: still and peaceful, sleep warm and soft just for him. Nobody else gets to have this Bucky, this is theirs and theirs alone. Steve doesn't think he’ll ever tire of waking up next to the love of his life and that hasn’t changed in nearly 100 years. Whether it's lithe, teenaged James with short hair, or the muscled, long haired Bucky next to him now, the feeling is always the same. 

Steve loves how soft Bucky is, always has. Bucky has always been the one to smooth Steve’s hard edges, always the one to show him that soft doesn’t mean weak. He can still be Captain America and wear his heart on his sleeve, Bucky taught him that. He taught him to love fiercely, live freely and show your loved ones how much you care with little reassuring touches. Bucky has taught him all that and more.

Because James Buchanan Barnes has always been a lover, not a fighter.


End file.
